DILI, 25 June 2026 (TATOLI) – Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister and g7+ Eminent Person, Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, called for increased international investment in peacebuilding, cooperation, and global solidarity, warning that geopolitical conflicts are disproportionately affecting vulnerable countries.
Speaking on June 24 in Lisbon at an international seminar titled “The Impact of the War in the Middle East on Conflict-Affected States,” Gusmão said global instability is generating far-reaching consequences beyond the regions where conflicts occur.
The event, organised by the g7+ Secretariat in partnership with the Institute for the Promotion of Latin America and the Caribbean (IPDAL), brought together diplomats, academics, policymakers, and international representatives to assess the impact of contemporary conflicts on fragile and conflict-affected states.
The session was opened by g7+ Secretary-General Hélder da Costa, followed by Gusmão’s keynote address and a moderated discussion led by IPDAL.
In his remarks, Gusmão warned that ongoing conflicts and geopolitical tensions are driving up energy prices, disrupting supply chains, fuelling inflation, and diverting international attention and resources away from development priorities.
“People in vulnerable countries often pay a high price for conflicts they neither started nor influenced,” he said.
He also expressed solidarity with populations affected by the conflict in the Middle East, including the Palestinian people and countries in the Gulf region facing the consequences of escalating tensions.
Gusmão further argued that growing rivalry among major powers is redirecting financial and political resources away from global challenges such as climate change, food security, public health, and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
“Resources that should be used to build peace, strengthen institutions and educate children are now being channelled into military spending. The world has become more efficient at financing war than at investing in peace,” he said.
The Prime Minister highlighted Timor-Leste’s commitment to multilateral and regional cooperation through its engagement in ASEAN, the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), and the g7+, saying these platforms demonstrate that stability and prosperity can be achieved through dialogue, partnership and solidarity among states.
He also reflected on Timor-Leste’s own experience of national reconciliation after 24 years of occupation, stressing that peacebuilding requires long-term commitment, courage and a willingness to embrace coexistence.
Concluding his speech, Gusmão urged stronger global efforts to promote a culture of dialogue and called for greater mobilisation of resources for peace.
“No one is safe until everyone is safe. Peace in one place depends on peace elsewhere,” he said.
The seminar was also attended by g7+ Secretary-General Hélder da Costa, ambassadors from CPLP member states, Justice Minister Sérgio de Jesus Fernandes da Costa Hornai, Education Minister Dulce de Jesus Soares, Timorese students in Portugal, and other invited guests.
The meeting reaffirmed the role of the g7+ as a platform for solidarity among conflict-affected states and underscored the importance of multilateral cooperation in promoting peace, resilience, and sustainable development.
TATOLI
